You Have to Know Where You've Been to Know Where You're Going

This blog is meant to be a showcase for places we hope to travel to one day, but I want to start off with somewhere I’ve been.  I recently got back from a week in Ireland with my school’s music department.  I have to admit, it wasn’t first on my list of places to go.  I really don’t know why, but it just wasn’t.  I know people who have gone and loved it.  Once I got there, I understood.  We landed in Dublin after an overnight flight from New York, and then proceeded to take a five-hour bus ride across the country to Dingle.  Despite feeling borderline narcoleptic at this point from going 30+ hours without sleep, I managed to take in the gorgeous Irish countryside.  I have never seen grass so green in all my life; it almost didn’t seem real, and neither did the amount of sheep. So. Many. Sheep! I never need to see another one again as long as I live.  Eventually, we arrived in the quaint town of Dingle on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry.  Nice little shops, friendly locals, and, oh yeah, pubs everywhere.  We only spent 3 days there, and the weather was less than perfect, but it was beautiful nonetheless.  The mist actually made the experience more authentic.  There were so many areas of the peninsula to explore, but what was my favorite Dingle experience? Easy: Horseback riding in the hills of Ceann Trá.  I’ve ridden horses for ten years and even own one, and yet I couldn’t have been more excited to saddle up in the horse Mecca that is Ireland.  Amazing.

Horseback riding in Ceann Trá

 Ring of Kerry

After Dingle, we took that lovely five-hour bus ride back to Dublin.  Along the way we stopped in Blarney, famous for Blarney Castle and the Stone of Eloquence.  The castle itself was so much fun to explore, though if you’re claustrophobic you may have some issues.  At the top of the castle lies the Blarney Stone (quite frankly, it’s just a rock).  And yes, I kissed that rock.  I’m still a little ashamed of being that much of a tourist, but you only live once, right?  Anyway, back in the bus we went, off to Dublin.  The city was different than others I have experienced.  There were no skyscrapers, no huge crowds, and no road rage!  Coming from the NY metro area, it was almost unsettling not to hear car horns and expletives every five seconds.  The city was charming, and I liked it.  We went on a short tour to places like the Trinity College and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which was such a beautiful church.  Again, there are pubs everywhere.  Many have live music and/or Irish step dancing, so you will not be bored at night.  I truly had a great time on the trip.  I would love to go back and see more of the country, like the Giant’s Causeway and the Cliffs of Moher.  For now, I’ll sum it up like this:  Ireland- Good times, friendly people, and scenery that will make you question if you’re in Heaven.